Shubman Gill is the next pin-up boy of Indian cricket. After Sunil Gavaskar left the scene, it was Sachin Tendulkar who filled that void in more ways than one. By the time Tendulkar made an entire nation emotional, Virat Kohli was ready to take the baton from him. Now, as the shades of grey in Kohli’s beard grows exponentially, he would certainly want Gill to be ready by the time he decides to call time. And one can rest assured that Gill is ready for all the challenges. Anyone who watched him bat on Friday night would agree that he is ready to take on the world and dominate.
Gavaskar was a product of his times. An India still in its youth, trying to rebuild after a fierce struggle for independence. He wanted to save his team, and then look at the options. Tendulkar happened to India at the time of economic liberalisation, and the flamboyance was a function of his age. Kohli’s generation didn’t carry the baggage of the past, and showed what fearlessness was all about, while Gill belongs to a time when patience is not considered to be one of the blessed virtues. Like instant noodles, people crave instant success. But somewhere down the line, they might just stop and applaud a talent like Gill, who will cater to this generation’s needs without compromising on his virtues as a cricketer.
“Rahul [Dravid] sir has been my coach since the India U-19 days, and then India A,” Gill had said after a successful tour for India A in the Caribbean. “There is one basic advice from him which I always keep in mind. He would tell me that come what may, never change your basic game that got you success.
Another day, another century for SHUBMAN GILL!
The GT opener scores a breathtaking ton in the Qualifiers 2.
After 14.1, Gujarat Titans are 148/1
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“He said that if we want to get technically more solid, all the adjustments that we make should be within the confines of our basic game,” said Gill, who was the BCCI’s Best Junior Cricketer in consecutive years in 2013–14 and 2014–15. “Rahul sir told me that if I change my game, it won’t be natural anymore, and may not provide success. His focus has always been on the mental make-up, while we face the challenges posed by the best.”
But what about the Kohli cover-drive – optimal use of backlift and a lot of wrists involved? Gill, an affable young man, said that the stroke “came naturally to him”. “[That’s] because I have an attacking game against the spinners,” he said. “Since childhood, I have practised a lot against spin bowling. So while playing on turners, I developed this particular stroke.”
His net practice involves a lot of match simulation, both in red and white-ball situations. “While I love stepping out to spinners as that’s my game, I have a back-and-across trigger when I am facing the quick bowlers,” Gill revealed.
He hasn’t been swayed by all the accolades coming his way, for Gill has never bothered about what’s being said about him when he takes the field to bat. “It’s only when you are off the field that you come to know about what’s being said about you,” he had said. “Once you enter the field, these things fade out. You only think about the opposition, and ways to win matches.”
Listening to him always confirmed that you were talking to a mature individual. So amid all the noise around him, how does he switch off? “Playing squash at times,” he said. “I have started enjoying the game, and it’s good for cardio as well. It’s an easy and enjoyable game if both players are at the same level. Aap ko bhi bahot zyada naahin aata, usko bhi bahot zyada nahin aata, toh muqabla acha hota hain (If both are not that great, the competition is good).”
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That last comment is flavoured with a laugh.
Unimaginable money, instant stardom – an Indian cricketer’s life is always in the fast lane. Gill understands the pressures of it, and who better than Yuvraj Singh to give some sound advice on how to deal with stardom. “Yuvi paaji gives me a lot of advice about handling pressure, fame, and adulation,” he had once said.
In the 86 minutes that he batted on Friday, what Gill unleashed was systematic carnage on the Mumbai Indians attack. If there was width outside the off stump, he would play the imperious square-cut. If it was full, the cover-drive came out of the closet. And when it was dug in short, he would either slash it over point or pull it over mid-wicket. Whenever the bowlers pitched the ball up, Gill with his fleetness of foot would reach the pitch of the deliveries and play either the cover-drive or the on-drive. It was batting at its imperious best.
Each time Gill has toured England in the past, he didn’t face the pressure of performance as the world wasn’t watching so closely. Rather, most eyes were trained on Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Needless to say, the Australians would have done their homework against Gill. All that we want is for Kohli’s heir apparent to be ready for the task come June 7 and the World Test Championship final.
Gill has miles to travel, and many milestones to reach. He will have his share of disappointments, but from what we have seen this IPL, there is every reason to believe that he will tick them off one by one. And in doing so, he would have helped Indian cricket scale greater heights, just like Tendulkar and Kohli did.
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